21 Dec 2015

The road connecting Goshwe and Tutume will be one of the priorities in the National Development Plan 11 (NDP 11).

Nkange MP, Mr Edwin Batshu, said  this when responding to concerns Goshwe residents during a recent kgotla meeting.

The residents had said that they anticipated that the road would be tarred as one of the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP). 

They said they were disappointed because, it had not been done, despite having been promised during the President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama kgotla meeting last year.

Residents also said they were promised that the road would be maintained twice a month, but that never happened.

The residents further decried that their village did not have proper access roads to either Tutume or Nswazwi, especially during the rainy season. 

One resident, Mr Sabata Malatsi said their businesses were collapsing because they failed to reach the wholesalers where they got stock.

In his response, Mr Batshu explained that ESP was focused mainly on backlog projects that were shelved as a result of the financial constraints as at 2008.

He noted that the exclusion of Goshwe road was a result of not being included in any development plan, adding that it did not have any design when compared to other roads earmarked for ESP.

Mr Batshu, who is also the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, said Tutume-Maitengwe road was going to be done during the programme, including the access roads to Changate and Dagwi because they had long been designed, but shelved as a result of lack of funds.

He, nonetheless, informed them that in NDP11 they would make sure that it was among the main projects to be undertaken and if possible included in the first financial year of the plan.

Mr Batshu therefore urged residents not to lose hope as two contractors won tenders to do the culverts on the road. Ends